July Stud Sale Wrap: Spring sales hit their straps with a thumping $70,000 top price

Key Points:

• Early Spring sales top at $70,000
• Several auctions achieve 100 per cent clearance rates
• Multiple sales post averages exceeding $16,000

THE insatiable demand for Hereford bulls has gathered steam as the Spring on-property sales circuit found new momentum, topping at $70,000.

Merawah/Tenaru Poll Herefords, Boggabilla, NSW, rang the bell at $70,000 for their on-property auction on July 19 when Lot 5, Merawah Pioneer R043, sold to Ivan and Amanda Burcher, Binara Poll Herefords, Goodiwindi, and Trevor Saal, Kalem Poll Herefords, Pittsworth, Queensland.

The sale averaged a cracking $17,566 for the 46 from 47 bulls sold under the hammer whilst raising funds for the Giant Steps school in Sydney.

Merawah Pioneer R043 was sired by Koanui Techno 3062 and out of Merawah Shamrock M004, ranked number one in the drop for raw eye muscle area and intramuscular fat scores.

On BREEDPLAN, the bull had a milk EBV of +23kg, carcass of +63kg, eye muscle area of +4.3sqcm and birthweight of +3.6kg.

Amanda Burcher was impressed with the bull’s pedigree, thickness, depth, balanced Estimated Breeding Values and considered him complementary to the Binara and Kalem females.

Amanda’s father, Trevor Saal, is in his 90s but continues a keen interest in breeding Herefords at Kalem, a stud started by his late wife Pearl.

Stud principal Andrew Mackay said the maternal granddams of R043 had generated around $500,000 in progeny and his sire Techno had been tremendously successful in the stud.

Other sale highlights included an 11-bull run sold by Kelly and Teeny Runzer, of Tenaru Poll Herefords, which averaged $17,083.

Top results across northern Spring sales

Kicking off the run of northern Spring on-property sales on July 15 was Franco and Parson Hill Herefords at Woodview, via Casino, topping at $14,000 for Franco Romeo R105, a son of Battalion Black Hawk K7.

From the 28 bulls offered, 25 were sold to achieve an average of $7680.

The sale included a draft of 80 commercial two-year-old European Union heifers PTIC to Franco bulls, 18 to 24 months, selling for $1975 to a top of $2500. Unjoined heifers, ranging from 12 to 24 months sold from $1800-$1900.

Parson Hill sold one bull, Parson Hill Ratio R185, for $8000.

The O’Leary family, Remolea Poll Herefords, Clifton, Queensland, held their annual sale on July 18 and topped at $26,000 for Lot 16 Remolea Rochester R084, a 24-month-old son of Callaway WRL HS Megatron M004 and Romolea Dainty L103.

R084 was the first Hereford bull purchased in 40 years by the Anderson family which runs a Braford operation at its properties Narrien, west of Clermont and Alice River, northwest of Jericho. The family focus on early maturing cattle for the EU and Pasturefed Cattle Assurance System markets.

A total of 48 bulls were offered with 46 sold for an average of $10,543.

A few days later, Cascade Poll Herefords, Currabubula, NSW, topped at $56,000 on July 20 when Lot 2 Cascade Roman R060 was knocked down to James and Kate Luckcock, Ennerdale Poll Herefords, Dundonnell, Victoria.

A total of 32 bulls were offered with 31 sold for an average of $15,392.

A heifer’s first calf, the top price bull was by Cascade Robin Hood N027 and out of Cascade Christian P091, and ranked on BREEDPLAN in the top five per cent for all growth EBVs along with a generous eye muscle area of +5.1sqcm.

Peter Godbolt, Nutrien Ag Solutions, had toured studs with Kate Luckock during Northern Beef Week looking for potential stud sires and spotted R060.

“He has that power, bone, balance of data and great skin – Buster and Kate were excited to secure the sire and look forward to standing over the progeny in three years time,” Mr Godbolt said.

Cascade manager Jack Smith was overwhelmed by the new record top price and average and repeat stud and commercial buyer support.

Mr Smith said the bulls were bred for muscle, structure, weight, length and longevity.

High clearance rates for late July sales

Stephen and Jodi Peake, Bowen Poll Herefords, Barraba, on July 21 cleared 100 per cent of 47 bulls to a top of $32,000 and average of $16,171.

The top price bull, Lot 11 Bowen Reese R020 was snapped up by Pat, James and Nikki Pearce, Yavenvale Herefords, Adelong, NSW.

Sired by Bowen Notorius N245 and out of Bowen Fancy N187, R020 featured a double cross of high marbling genetics in his pedigree, combined with low birthweight.

Steve and Therese Crowley, Tycolah Poll Herefords, Barraba, and The Cottage Poll Herefords, cleared all 40 bulls on July 22 to a top of $46,000 and average of $15,776.

A total of 11 heifers were offered and sold to a top of $12,000 twice (Lot 45 Tycolah Pacette S005 and Lot 48 Tycolah Countess S030) and average of $7909.

The top price bull, Lot 4, Tycolah Terry R017, sold to Mac and Gayle Shann, Centaur Park, Clermont, Queensland, while thee top priced yearling Tycolah Uralla S017 was knocked down for $24,000 the Bidgood family, Condamine, Queensland.

Ian and Shelley Durkin, Mountain Valley Poll Herefords, Coolatai, offered and sold 42 bulls to a top of $45,000 and average of $14,547.

The top price bull, Lot 7, Mountain Valley Randwick R133, sold to Ben and Leanne Rumbel, Supple Whiteface, Guyra.

James and Sandy Higgins, Curracabark Herefords, Gloucester, sold 100 per cent of 27 Hereford bulls under the hammer to a top of $26,000 and average of $16,222.

The top price bull, Lot 41, Thornleigh Republican R300, is a son of Thornleigh H K7 Blackhawk N240 and out of Thornleigh TCCE301.

Chris Lisle, Tummel Herefords, Walcha, NSW, sold 25 from 30 bulls at his 38^th Annual Sale to average $7721 and top at $16,000 for Tummel Elite R076, selling to Steve and Debbie Reid, Talbalba Herefords, Millmerran, Queensland.

Mark and Wendy Campion, Amos-Vale Herefords, Pinkett, cleared all 28 bulls for an average of $15,357 and top of $47,000 for Amos-Vale In Demand R002 to Yarram Park Performance Genetics, Willaura, Victoria.

At the annual sale on July 28 of Tony and Barb Hollis, Lotus Herefords, Glen Innes, all 40 bulls sold under the hammer for an average of $14,726 and top of $56,000 achieved for Lotus Reflect R160 to a partnership between Angus, Eunice and Will Vivers, Jindalee Herefords, Kings Plains, and Phil Commins, Nunniong Herefords, Ensay, Victoria.

Glenwarrah Pastoral Company sold 20 from 22 Hereford bulls to a top of $23,000 for Glenwarrah Marshall R300 and average of $13,856, at the annual sale on July 27 at Bundarra.

Hereford bulls sold to a top of $5500 at the Casino All Breeds 24^th Annual Bull and Female Sale on July 30.

For a wrap of the stud sales from the first half of July – please check our earlier story here.